This past week did not go as planned. Teacher was competing at Blackpool, so I didn’t have any dance lessons, but I was planning on practicing two extra nights in their place on top of being super productive with my task list for the Solo Practice Guide and blog. Then last Saturday, I woke up with a migraine and it didn’t really go away until this past Friday evening. So much for productive.

For those who are “lucky” like me to get migraines, tension headaches, stress headaches or any other kind of head pain, do you notice that the world seems to go out of its way to be extra loud on those days when your head is already pounding? That’s how last Saturday was for me. While I was out with the dogs (moms don’t get sick days), they were doing something extra noisy in a nearby trash enclosure. I think they were cleaning it or something, but what I know for sure is there was a LOT more engine and machine noise than we normally hear on a walk. The crows seemed to be upset about it, and they had ALL gathered in the tree above my dogs’ favorite bathroom spot to squawk about it. While my boys sniffed around, I looked up at the tree in desperation and said “please hush!” The crows did not care to oblige.

Sunday, the migraine evolved (or devolved, I suppose) into what I call an ice pick headache. So named because the sharp pain is akin to an ice pick being shoved into my temple. It persisted through Sunday, though as you know, I was able to look at a computer screen long enough late Sunday afternoon to write a blog post. I also got myself to the studio to complete my solo practice and attend a styling workshop. How smart that was is up for debate, but I took it easy and oftentimes, focusing on dance helps my headaches.

I got a reprieve Monday and most of Tuesday thankfully (maybe the dancing helped!), but then it came back Tuesday evening with a vengeance and refused to let go until Friday (or not). So yeah, those extra nights of solo practice and all those tasks getting checked off my to-do list didn’t happen. Even as I was laying on the couch cursing the car outside with the squeaky brakes, I actually felt a little guilty. I wasn’t getting anything done and I had so much to do!

Sometimes when we need to slow down or stop and rest a minute, and we don’t, our bodies force us to stop. Abruptly. Apparently, I was long overdue for a rest because none of the usual headache remedies were working. My body gave me a hint when I became aware of tension in my neck and shoulders on Thursday. I traded the ice packs for a heated neck pillow, and on Friday, I was still in pain but I was at least able to work a half day in the office. Then finally, full relief on Friday night.

The moral of this story is rest when you need it and don’t feel guilty about it. There was a lot I didn’t get done that I was “supposed to” get done this past week, but in reality, the only thing I was supposed to be doing was resting and not feeling guilty for resting. I was feeling so much better yesterday that I got a lot more done than I would have on a normal Saturday after working a full week. And amazingly, I remembered the International Waltz routine I worked on last weekend during solo practice today. Feelin’ back on track!